Persian Gulf

The United States is working to ensure that Israeli diplomats and journalists will be allowed to go to Oman for multilateral peace talks, in the wake of indications that the Persian Gulf emirate has backtracked on its earlier pledge to permit Israeli visitors. Oman is hosting the upcoming round of multilateral talks dealing with regional… More ▸

Yosef Keim does not want his complaints to dissuade anyone — including his relatives still in Yemen — from joining him in Israel. “Everyone has to come,” he insists, saying God is fulfilling the promise to gather the exiles from all over the Earth. But nonetheless Keim has harsh words about his new home, and… More ▸

Pro-Israel forces and their supporters in Congress are seeking to block a bid by Saudi Arabia to join the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade until it abandons the Arab boycott of companies doing business with Israel. Rep. Sam Gejdenson (D-Conn.) introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives last Friday opposing the Saudi bid… More ▸

Aharon and Saadya Tsabari, Yemenite Jewish brothers who had been separated for 33 years, were finally reunited this month. Saadya, who had remained in Yemen when his brother immigrated to Israel, is one of nearly 300 Yemenite Jews who have arrived in Israel over the past year, after decades in which the gates of Yemen… More ▸

The Israeli government and American Jewish groups have lauded an announcement by Kuwait’s foreign minister that his country will no longer adhere to the “indirect” Arab boycott of companies that do business with Israel. Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah announced the policy change Tuesday in Kuwait, but said his country would continue to… More ▸

Optimistic statements about the prospect of peace with Israel, made last week by King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and Jordanian Prime Minister Abdul Salam al-Majali, represent a positive change in attitude, according to Israeli officials. In a lengthy and wide-ranging message to 2 million Moslem pilgrims who came to Mecca last week for the annual… More ▸

Despite a direct request from U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Kuwait reportedly has refused to drop its boycott of companies doing business with Israel. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the emir of Kuwait, Sheik Jaber al-Sabah, was not responsive to requests to lift the boycott made by Christopher, who was in… More ▸

Israel does not have to worry about an erosion in long-term U.S. strategic cooperation and support, despite the impending sale of 72 advanced F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, according to experts appearing at a recent Senate symposium. The sale, which American Jewish groups did not actively oppose, will soon become official because Congress adjourned… More ▸

After a month of off-again, on-again negotiations, a Los Angeles businessman has decided not to go to Saudi Arabia because his visa identifies him as Jewish. John Schwartz sought early last month to fly to Saudi Arabia to enter bids in an auction of U.S. war surplus materiel left behind at the end of the… More ▸